Stop Making Excuses..

Excuses are a coping mechanism for regret.

This is not a quote I stole from the internet. This is an observation I have made in my life interacting with many people.

excuses will hold you back from so much.

If you really want to do something, you will.

And if you don't really want to, you will not.

It is a battle between what you want, and whatever habit or excuse you make for yourself that you wish to continue.

I want people to be happy.. happy and interesting.

When I talk to people and I hear them say:

 "I wish I could do this, BUT.."

 "I would totally do that if I didn't have 'X' holding me back."

"I will quit 'X' someday.."

I am talking about the excuses we make for our behaviors...

           our health habits...

                        why we don't see more of the world...

Everywhere I go, there are excuses.. and the problem lies with time.. and this false sense of having plenty of it.

EXCUSES:

"I will stop smoking tomorrow.."

........ when I already have COPD........

"I will start eating better tomorrow.."

......... when I am already suffering the consequences of unhealthy eating habits....

"I will exercise tomorrow....."

......... because tomorrow I will have way more time than today?....

"I will see the world when my kids are grown...."

........ because I will totally have the energy in 18 years to deviate from the habits I have grown accustomed to my entire life.......

How do you stop making excuses?

 Realize what your priorities are.

either you do things, or you don't.. excuses about why you can't is wasted energy.

If you set your mind to something, you can do it. 

Anything is possible.. 

Don't use excuses as a means to not do things. 

Accountability is something I love, but I see so many people struggle with it.
 People in general love putting the blame elsewhere....

...it took me years to learn how to take accountability and stop making excuses... but I did it, and it can be done.

When you start taking accountability for why you can or cannot do things, you will feel much more control over your life, which will in return, make you a much more satisfied person.

   

I am not trying to make people feel bad about decisions they make.

I am making an attempt to help people do what they really want because one day, you won't have that choice. And it is just that. A CHOICE.

I am finding more and more that most people do NOT realize that most things in life are a choice.

So name one thing you want(or want to do) MORE than anything.

               ..and now figure out how you are going to do it.

..make that your priority.

We don't have forever.. and death is certainly certain.

....so be the person you want to be.. and do all the things you want to do...

....all while loving every minute.

All you have is time.. but only a finite amount.




SO GO 'EFFING DO SOME SH*ZZZ!!!!!!!!

taken @ Acadia N.P. in Maine. 

xoxo

   -Nancy

Thinking Out Loud.. (or online)

So as I sit here, attempting to read my Anthropology textbook.. 
  


  I think to myself, "wow, some people have really cool jobs that I didn't even know existed!"



and then I sit here like, "wow, a lot of people aren't freezing right now because they live in warm places, or at least 'bearable.'"  (bearable is obviously a relative term).... however it IS colder in Indianapolis right now than in the NORTH POLE...





        So as I sit, all day, everyday, dreaming about other places and interacting with distant humans, with distant dreams and goals and lives....
........ I just wish I could be a trust fund baby and have all the money I needed to just hop around and be a nomad. (I am aware I could do this without money.. yet it would be much more difficult..)
Plus, a major component to finding true happiness is to know where exactly you lie between security and uncertainty..  Unfortunately, I know myself well enough... and I know I need a good amount of financial certainty, probably because my only monetary safety net is my own bank account.




An older woman once asked my age, and when I told her, she responded, "Wow, you've really done a lot for your age.."

..But I don't think I have... 

I would say that I have not even BEGUN to scratch the surface!

I have many more awkward foreign interactions to make!

Many more shitty diner coffees to drink!

Many more strangers that need day brightening!

Many more roads to get lost on!

Many more piers to walk down!

Many more crabs to get pinched by!

Many more new foods to try!

I love you, life! And even though I don't have all the money I wish I did, I will still spend it all on Experiences & Food!!!!  <3

..all pictures above were taken in South Beach Miami..

the one below was taken in Indianapolis @ Fort Ben.. (:

Be My Valentine!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  <3   

xoxoxo

i am really excited for Valentine's Day!

Just like I was for Groundhog's Day.

Groundhog's Day is my favorite holiday.. but this year i had to work. 

Why is Groundhog's Day my favorite?!?!

1)....you don't need a family to celebrate.

2) no one gets special pay or days off making it fair for everyone to either work or not work.

3) groundhogs are adorable.

4) even though the Groundhog usually sees his shadow(meaning 6 more weeks of winter)... it's still kind of an initial stepping stone for spring.

and who doesn't love spring after a freezing winter!!??

So I wasn't actually planning to talk about Groundhog's Day, I wanted to talk about Valentine's Day!! 

Talking about Groundhog's Day was so much more exciting than anything I could possibly say about Valentine's Day..

...what i actually wanted to focus on was self love.. because when you first decide to truly love yourself, all sorts of other things fall into place..  so here's a really great info graphic on why you should be nicer to yourself. *this info graphic even cites its sources..  (:

**self compassion brings about more constant feelings of self worth than self esteem.**

..so this year, ditch your Valentine and take yourself out for a night on the town!!  <3  

Write Down YOUR Crazy Ideas!!!!

I received a message today that looked something like this:

" Is it possible for a out of shape lazy person like myself to learn yoga in the least humiliating way lol"

and ended with:

"thank you so much nancy! i love when you post your bananas among us stuff"

so i want to post some photos and chat about goals.

this was a delicious smoothie i consumed yesterday!!  :)

this is me.

this is me again!

So my friend says to me that he wants to be able to crush a beer can on his abs one day..

..i am going to assume he was serious.. but either way.. the thing about goals is that they can be ANYTHING!! Goals are fun because they give you something to aim for. I write down all of my goals.. actually, I write down everything.. otherwise I would not ever get anything done.. lists are my friends!!  

I worked with this really amazing therapist at a really not-so-amazing Psychiatric Hospital.. and I used to tell him some crazy iadeas, and he would say, write it down.

"Write down all your crazy ideas!!!"

...and I thought he was crazy... but he was actually on to something. 
I have found that since I have been writing down my goals, when I go back to evaluate them, I am checking them off!! I am doing ALL of my goals. 
....and I have MANY.

I write down things as simple as.. 

"Pet Kittens"
"Smile a lot"
"Be really, really genuinely happy today"
"Drink some hot tea"
"Smile some more"


as well as grocery lists.. homework assignments.. personal obligations.. car stuff... reading.. whatever...
i make a list as soon as a wake up in the morning.

whenever I do not make a list... I never get anything done... which is maybe just because I need that structure to stay on task.. otherwise I will be stuck at the pet kittens part forever..


check out this book...  

..you can find it by clicking here on Amazon.


I bought this book a year ago, and it has been so helpful in so many ways with achieving my goals... and it is super fun to read. it's got all different sized font and lots of good stories and ideas... it is one of, if not, the best book I own.


However big or small your goals: 

petting kittens today...  or becoming a millionaire by age 55.

..getting a really fit body.. or thinking more positively about the future..

..reminding yourself to be more mindful.. 

..whatever your goals.. write them down. and just do them.

it's super rewarding.

Stay Beautiful. & Smile.  (:

Paleo.PILLS. & fActS!!

"Today, Americans get more than 50% of their calories each day from processed foods like flour, sugar and industrial seed oils that are virtually devoid of nutrients. Soft drinks alone account for 7% of our daily calorie intake. Yet these foods are directly at odds with what our bodies were designed for."

 50% of calories from nutrient-less food that does nothing but destroy your body.

 7% of calorie intake comes soda.

~

 "a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that prescription medication is responsible for over 110,000 deaths a year."

..not to mention the irreversible damage medication can do to your body that is not reported as death..

~

"As for the common objection that the Paleo diet is dangerous because it permits foods like red meat, eggs and saturated fat, the most recent research does not support a causal relationship between eating these foods and heart disease, cancer, or early death. "

...science is evolving just like we are... once upon a time, we didn't think there was a correlation between disease and hand washing..

~

"people who take prescription medications may be less likely to engage in healthy diet and lifestyle behaviors. For example, a study published in 2014 found that people taking statins to reduce cholesterol may feel a false sense of security and overindulge in unhealthy foods. They increased their total calorie intake by 10% over a 10-year period, whereas no changes in eating habits were observed in non-statin users over that same period."

..this might be my most hated issue with prescription medication. 'i take pills for that so i no longer need to engage in healthy diet or lifestyle.'  taking pills for something does not mean you are controlling the issue. it means you are artificially addressing/acknowledging it... (there are obvious exceptions..)

    PLEASE CLICK HERE AND READ THE ARTICLE I STOLE EVERYTHING IN QUOTATIONS FROM!!!! <3

Have a beautiful day!! And say 3 nice things to yourself in the mirror!! (seriously)

..another shitty blog post.

...after chatting on the phone for a good 30 minutes with a friend equally, if not greater than, obsessed with bowel movements as I.. 
...I have decided to blog once again.. about bowel movements!!

what does an optimal bowel movement look like???




                                       THIS.

it should be missile-shaped!

Whether you are someone who already maintains optimal digestion.. or you are thriving to achieve optimal digestion, I would like to include some handy tips for improving digesting!!

• eat only when hungry
• start your day with a glass of room temperature/warm water
• eat in a calm, seated, and settled environment
• eat at a moderate pace
• chew your food well and be mindful of its smells, tastes, and textures
• eat freshly cooked meals - avoid leftovers and stale, processed foods
• sip a little warm water thru out meals
• allow a few minutes after eating to relax
• try to eat your biggest meal at lunchtime when digestion is strongest
• allow a few hours in-between meals
• allow at least 2 hours between dinner and bedtime
• sip warm water thru out the day
• try not to eat on the run or in the car
• avoid ice-cold foods and drinks
• eat in a neutral or positive environment
• give thanks that went into growing, harvesting, and preparing your food <3

**i realize that some of these are near impossible for a multitude of reasons...

...& to read my first blog on bowel movements & you.. click here!!

Fiber is also a great way to achieve optimal bowel movements!!!..

..but in an effort to hold your attention, we will talk about fiber next time!!

Happy Pooping!! (:

The Art of Asking..

Am I good enough?

Do I deserve this?

Currently reading Amanda Palmer's book... 

"The Art of Asking.. or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help"

..it makes me want to be a street performer!!
..and to jump into the world and be vulnerable!


If you have never seen a music video of hers.. you are missing out.
She is a true entertainer.

Why is it so hard for people to ask for things? 

~

Asking for help means that you are weak. That you are unproductive. That you are not good enough to manage your issues on your own.
... once upon a time, I thought these statements to be true.

Once upon a time I was stubborn. I was narrow minded. 

Although I never thought I had the world figured out, I did think that my way was the best way.

I moved out when I was 18 making a whopping $7.00/hour.
Trying to pay rent + pay for school out of pocket + groceries..
.. I was miserable. I was hungry.

Every penny I made went to school so I wouldn't have to take out loans.. and to rent.. and if I had any money left over.. it went to groceries.. 

Society made me think I needed my own space to feel accomplished.. If I lived at home, I was unsuccessful.. or not an adult.
..if I needed someone's help, I would rather be hungry than a burden.

~

..my thought process has tremendously altered since that near decade ago..

..but this book is about these situations.
..why humans feels so scared to ask for help. to be vulnerable.

Everyone has a different set of circumstances, and while i once viewed myself as a victim of circumstance and lived life fairly negatively.. or, really, severely negatively.. i feel as though i have overcome A LOT of mental anguish by merely altering my perception of the world and what success really meant to me.

If you are someone who struggles with asking for things..

... spare change for a parking meter ...

... a promotion...

... a hug ...

... love ...

..i think this book can bring you a lot of joy..

..especially if you have love for street performers, strippers, lawyers, nurses, Amanda Palmer, yourself.. or anyone who has ever struggled to ask for something.

<3